At the end of November and beginning of December, we enjoyed several visitors. A group of 7 Kleyns came first (both from "down under" and "up over"). We enjoyed some day trips with them. They were also able to attend the Berean Protestant Reformed Church with us on December 1.

Berean PRC

After most of the Kleyns had left, but overlapping with some of them, we had Felix and Angela Chan from Singapore join us for 1 1/2 weeks.

My husband preached in Provident Christian Church the first Sunday they were here.

We enjoyed a meal together with some of the members after church.

During the week we got together with the Smits a couple of times for more good fellowship.

The second Sunday, December 15, the Chans and John and Rebekah Smit came with us to the First Reformed Church of Bulacan.

Another delicious Sunday dinner.

Then, while my husband stayed in First Reformed for their consistory meeting, the rest of us drove to Berean PRC. We arrived in time for some fellowship before the Berean's second worship service.

The Chans enjoyed seeing the Ibe's again. They had met once before at the PRC synod where Rev. Ibe was examined.

The First Reformed Church of Bulacan has a mission outreach in Albuera, Leyte - the Protestant Reformed Fellowship in Albuera (PRFA). As many of you know, the saints there were affected by Typhoon Yolanda (international name, Haiyan), with damage to their homes and the church building.

Last week, FRCB was able to send a delegation of two men from their consistory to visit the saints there and help them in their need. The delegation reported that the members of the fellowship there were most grateful to God for His protection in preserving their lives and keeping them from injury. We are thankful that the assistance which has been received has provided for the needs of these brothers and sisters in Christ.

The reconstructed frame of the church building.

Most of the trees on the hills are wiped out

Notice the broken high tension wire tower.

Pastor Flores bringing the comfort of the Word to the saints there.

A rainbow - a sign of God's covenant faithfulness to His people.

We appreciate the loving concern that many have expressed for our dear fellow believers. We thank the Lord that He was pleased to keep them safe and that their needs are being met.

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah." (Psalm 46:1-3)

This past Sunday we were in Gabaldon so Rev. Kleyn could preach there. On the trip we witnessed damage that was done by a typhoon, Typhoon Santi, that went through the area a couple of weeks earlier on October 11 & 12. We took some pictures, and thought you might be interested in seeing the damage such a storm can do.

Two large trees on the roof of this building. I wonder if the building can be repaired.

The power of the wind that can bring down a tree of this size!!

Road repair will be needed with this one.

Hopefully no one was inside this house when it collapsed.

In Gabaldon, Brother Lando and Sister Liwanag lost some lovely trees outside their house, as well as part of their roof.

Some sunlight coming through the roof of the church building. This building is right next to Bro. Lando's house, so it received some damage too.

These once tall trees made this a beautiful, shaded stretch of road. Every single one was snapped off in the wind. :-(

A sad sight.

Mango orchards received a big hit, with many trees down. Although not all of them died, you can see a couple dead ones in the picture below. We were told that it will take the trees 6 months or so to recover, so I would think the next harvest will be affected.

A ruined stand of bamboo.

There is not much left of this hut. Again, hopefully no one was hurt.

There was a lot of traffic on the way home, due to the holiday. For All Saints Day and All Souls Day, many people travel home to their province to visit the graves of their dead relatives. We caught all the returning traffic on our way home.

But we also saw a beautiful rainbow -- a sign of God's covenant faithfulness and love.

I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.

Genesis 9:14

Now the Philippines is experiencing yet another typhoon: Super Typhoon Yolanda (its international name is Haiyan). Yolanda is expected to move through quite a ways south of Manila. But we do have some concern for our contacts in Leyte, Bacolod City, and Southern Negros Occidental. Our comfort is that the hand of our sovereign Lord is on this storm, moving it according to His wisdom and purpose, for His glory and the salvation of His church.

The clouds poured out water: the skies sent out a sound: thine arrows also went abroad. The voice of thy thunder was in the heaven: the lightnings lightened the world: the earth trembled and shook.

Psalm 77:17, 18

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

The two missionaries made a trip south early this week to the island of Negros. Come along as they leave at 6 a.m. on Monday morning to make the 1 1/2 hour drive to Manila airport. After checking in, waiting at the gate, and boarding your 9:15 flight, you'll fly south and slightly east over the islands of Mindoro and Iloilo. In an hour or so your plane will touch down in Bacolod City on the island of Negros.

In Bacolod you will be able to experience a new work the men have just begun. It is a new work, but not a new contact. We initially met Rudy Corpus on our first trip to the Philippines with Rev. and Mrs. Kortering back in 1999. Rudy has bought many of our books and stayed in touch through the years. You can join Rev. Smit and Rev. Kleyn as they meet with the group in rooms above their family run pet shop. We hope you enjoy the lectures on Reformed Doctrine (Rev. Kleyn) and Reformed Church Government (Rev. Smit).

The meeting place in the upstairs of the Corpus' pet shop: the left side of the blue fronted building.

Rudy Corpus with his wife, Lilia, and daughter, Praiseel.

One of the "pets" in their pet shop!

Rev. Smit teaches Reformed church government.

The attendees.

You also get to enjoy a good Filipino merienda afterwards.

The following morning (Tuesday) you will have another early morning rise for the 3 1/2 hour drive to Sipalay. The drive is south through the hills and along the coast with beautiful scenery. This time of year you can also witness the sugar cane harvest taking place. You'll arrive in Sipalay in Southern Negros Occidental in time for the 9:00 a.m. start of classes with the 8 or 9 pastors that meet together there. The men refer to this as their "SNO Classes" - can you figure out why?

We start this random collection of pictures with a few of a recent shipment of RFPA books and PRCA pamphlets. The collections taken in our churches continue to provide this literature at significantly reduced prices. This is greatly appreciated, not only by us, but also and especially by the churches and contacts among which we are doing our mission work here in the Philippines.

Books, Pamphlets, and Catechism Materials

Books taking over the Kitchen Counter

A challenge to sort out all those wires, no doubt!

The American Cemetery, located near Global City in Manila

A few members of the Berean PRC accompanied us

to the AGPRF in Gabaldon a few months ago.

Sometimes you have to take a "wacky" photo, too.

FRC in Bulacan had a birthday surprise in July .....

and also a good sized knife! (Yes, it's a bolo.)

And a birthday surprise in Provident Christian Church in September, too.

Anyone for a slice of tuna?

The fish was huge!

Wasp Nest on our Window Frame

Meeting with Doon PRC (or the FMC) via Skype.

These Skype meetings usually take place three times each month,

with the missionaries meeting with Doon PRC's Philippines' Subcommittee,

Doon PRC's Council, and the Foreign Mission Committee.

The Provident Christian Church in Marikina

We visit here two Sundays a month for worship services,

every Thursday evening for a Reformed doctrine class,

and soon hope to begin catechism classes every Saturday, the Lord willing.